We strive to keep each cruise fresh and interesting, Sometimes that can be difficult the more you cruise. One cannot get a Mediterranean itinerary without Rome or Florence, many leave from or end in Barcelona or Southampton or Copenhagen and, well, we look for ones that include Santorini.
We choose each cruise based on its itinerary. We have a list of ports we want to visit, and a list of those we are happy to return to. Even those places we may not have been thrilled about at first are fun to have scheduled because its important to give them a second chance. Also to begin or end our cruise in a different city or port offers more chances to explore that country in depth with an independent land tour afterwards.
Another issue that needs to be addressed, especially for new cruisers, is what to do in each port. The options are many between ship excursions, private excursions and aimless wandering down cobblestone streets. When we started it was excruciating to pick just one thing to do in each port when we wanted to do it all. Our solution; do not think of your cruise as a once in a lifetime experience, but rather the first of many. Keep telling yourself you can always, or will, return.
So when you do cruise again, and you start returning to the most common ports, what should you do?
The first option is to repeat what you did the first time that you really enjoyed. During our first stop to Rome we explored the Coliseum and Roman Forum on our own. On our next trip we plan to return only this time we want a guided tour. The same when we return to Pompeii and Edinburgh Castle. A guided tour may be more restrictive but the information provided enriches the visit.
There are a number of museums and art galleries that require a second visit. For example The Louvre is so large that broken up into a number of visits ensures it remains fresh. Same applies for the Uffizi in Florence or the National Gallery in London.
You can see all you need in one visit to some of the Greek Islands, but why not return to enjoy that favourite restaurant or sun kissed beach again. Make friends with the locals so you have even more of a reason to return.
The second option is to return and do something completely different. Instead of the Coliseum in Rome schedule a tour of the Vatican. You can easily fill a full day between the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Climb the steps up to the rotunda, visit on a Wednesday to catch a glimpse of the Pope with other faithful, or just enjoy the amazing art located throughout.
If you usually explore ancient sites try something more modern, exchange a museum for a nature preserve or travel outside the port to visit lesser known sites in the surrounding countryside. Check out winery tours, kayaking excursions and food or pub tours. Walking tours by locals are also another excellent way to get closer to the culture.
The last option is to do nothing that day. On a recent Greek Isles cruise we chose to use our stop in Olympia as a sea day since there was not one otherwise scheduled on a short itinerary. Also pretty much the only thing to really see at that port is the ancient site of the Olympics. We had been in the past and will go again on a future cruise, but on that particular trip we needed some down time instead.
Just be sure doing nothing is an active decision and not a passive one. Lack of pre-planning or not booking an excursion before they are sold out are examples of passive decision making.
Whatever you decide your trip will be amazing. Personalize it to suit your interests, activity level and budget, and always remember – you will return one day!